Squirrel hunt 2.3.2020

[wolverine]

i decided to try a new spot yesterday and entered the woods about 8am.  1st i passed thru a grove of tall dead trees in a flooded area bordering a field of stubble filled with crows to the west, and a river to the east.  the trail began to ascend into hardwoods with a few pines mixed in.  i was deliberate with my steps as the warm temperature was softening the previously frozen ground when a rabbit broke cover and gave me a bit of a startle.  these woods are the northern part of the woods i usually hunt, but are quite different.  the trees are bent, twisted, and gnarly. they hang low over the trail and i imagine at dusk would like an evil woods in a disney cartoon.  i spot my 1st fox squirrel sitting 5' up in a tree maybe 10 yards away.  i turn on the Tactacam and take aim, but then think i'm better off to use the tree nest to me.  as i lean on the tree the squirrel disappears into the underbrush.  i berate myself for hesitating at such an easy shot and letting one go.  just past the 1st mile marker the path turns into muddy bog from all the snow run off from the hills and i decide to move south to my regular woods.  after slowly trekking thru the southern woods for a while i spot a total of 6 squirrels that i pursue to no avail.  they all  seem to disappear after a short stalk.


making my way back to the truck i sit at the top of a ravine and wait for movement.  a father and his young son are heading into the woods and the father sees me and waves.  i'm camoed up from my boots to my head mask and cap.  even my gun is wrapped in camo.   so if he can see me from 100 yards,  i'm only fooling myself that i'm invisible to the squirrels.   2-3 minutes pass and a squirrel with a walnut in it's mouth comes from my 5 and sits for a moment before bouncing along the ravine bottom and up to the path and into a tree.  i 'm able to follow the squirrel but never have a shot.  5 minutes later and another squirrel with a walnut comes from the same direction and moves along the small creek at the ravine bottom until pass behind a very small tree and disappears.  it's time to pack it in and all it a day so grab my seat pad and head north skirting the ravine and down into the open field.  i re-enter the woods on the other side of the ravine and make my way towards the truck when i see a squirrel in a tree.  the range finder indicates it's 44 yards out.  i turn on the Tactacam and raise the Regal.  i've been hunting for 7 hours now and i'm tired and having trouble keeping the crosshairs on it.  i squeeze the trigger and the squirrels takes off.  reviewing the video the pellet hit the tree branch and deflected to the right.


as i'm putting my gear in the truck the man and his son and 2 other hunters are leaving and they too have seen squirrels only to have them disappear without getting a shot off. 


i did get to see 2 rabbits, 6 deer, several hawks, a bald eagle, and an owl.  i was pleased with that.

[ranchibi]

Carl, great day to be out hunting! You’ll get some on your next outing 🤓👍. I’m sure it was good to get out.

[Xraycer]

While you were playing in the woods, I was cooped up inside at work. I would take a day of getting skunked in the outdoors, over a great day at work anytime.

You'll get 'em next time, Carl!

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

Gee Carl..that sounds like some of my hunts.

I enjoy being out and about...getting a squirrel is just a bonus for me.


Best Wishes - Tom

[wolverine]

this is the second time in a row i got skunked, but before that i was averaging 3 squirrels a hunt.  i actually do better when it's cold.  yesterday was 58* and mostly cloudy.  even the leaves were starting to get crunchy again. 

[dk1677]

Nice one Carl!

[wolverine]

i was organizing my gear and emptied the magazine from the Daystate Regal i used on this last hunt.  it was loaded with CPs, a pellet i only use for plinking as they aren't accurate after 30 yards out of this rifle.  i usually hunt with JSB 15.89s, Hades, or H&N Hunters and was using the CPs for soda cans days before.  so now i'm wondering had i loaded the correct pellets, would i have hit that squirrel?  just a thought.


i'm having trouble with the Tactacam app staying connected to my antique smartphone, so tomorrow i'll go to the Verizon store and see what i can upgrade to.  once i have the Tactacam figured out, then i'll look at some decent editing software.

[only1harry]

Oh no.  CP's can be inconsistent in size and weight, including the more expensive brown box CP's that I use.  I almost never hunt with them for that reason.  Best to leave them at home

Harry